Category Archives: Religion

They make it easy…

Posted on 2012/01/23 by

I dislike this YouTube video with some confliction as I agree with much of what this young man has to say. The problem is he assumes all “Republicans” sport “religion” or “Christianity” as a pillar of their political belief system, when in fact many on the right simply fear the dissolution of a fundamental truth about our nation. And that is “one nation under God”, while religious in its overtones, was simply an acknowledgment of faith and the understanding that inevitably we are not as human kind, the “be all and end all”. I submit to you, that simple and humble expression is what has separated us from the very people this young man speaks of in his video. In the end, his effort to de-politicize the argument over religion actually politicizes it right out of the gate, when he generalizes and then labels “Republicans” as the exclusive purveyors of religion. It’s a valiant effort but falls short and right into the category of ideology. Maybe if we try harder to find the commonality that should bind us as a country, as opposed to highlighting that which may separate us culturally, the issue of religion and politics would be much less divisive. Sorry Jeff, nice albeit youthful try though…

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY’]

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“Living up to the Creed”…

Posted on 2012/01/16 by

No nation in recorded history has done more in it’s time to address the issue of individual human freedom and the socioeconomic tentacles affixed to it, than the United States of America. In so many ways, MLK remains the true face of this continuing effort, in modern America and around the world. Do not be fooled however, by the “false prophets” of our time. Instead be mindful of the lessons of faith, hope and charity this great and “deeply religious” man provided to us, and embrace his message which trumpeted individual freedom and the pride and happiness that comes from unhindered self-reliance. How many of us have truly taken time to listen to his words, and not just those spoken on the mall in August, 1963?

This was truly a great man of vision and understanding. It is unfortunate much of his passion and sensibilities are missing from the argument today…

 

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Tebow…

Posted on 2012/01/15 by

NFL reality visited Tim Tebow last night in the form of the New England Patriots and a 45-10 shellacking. As a Patriots fan I was thrilled. But I was also moved by the fact that aside from any lessons learned for Tebow, and considering he will most likely start for the Broncos next season, he appeared steady and composed albeit obviously disappointed. This lends itself to what I have said all along. This young man was never praying for the win, just the strength.

In the end, and in only his 16th NFL start, Tim Tebow played with his team in the divisional round of the AFC East Championship and into the hearts of millions of Americans as well. I’d say that’s something he can be very proud of and “thankful” for…

God bless ya Tim…

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“Clause” and effect…

Posted on 2012/01/12 by

I still love my home State of Rhode Island...

I have always said that in order for us to better understand the words and meaning of our founding documents, it is necessary to “be in the heads” of the men who wrote them. Such is true for the “Establishment Clause” of the 1st Amendment. Now I will not put all of you to sleep with my interpretation of Jefferson’s “Wall of separation” letter, which was actually drafted by Madison, nor will I dissect the myriad of legal challenges to the so called “separation” which have arisen over generations. What I will say however, is that if one is a true study of history and desires to be intellectually honest, one must admit to the central place of the church and its influence within the fabric of early American history.

Mind you I am no zealot, nor am I qualified to speak to the problems of religion in our world. I am also certain that any theocratic approach to governance “applied by the hand of man” is dangerous to freedom. But it occurs to me there were some very basic foundational beliefs shared by a majority of folks back in the day which most certainly would have shaped their opinions, complete with every nuance and caveat. Having said this, and accounting for all the whims and contradictions which defined Jefferson’s life and work, I think that when one “Atheist” young person, who is most likely unsure and/or at least unclear on the many changes of opinion she will surely express in her long life, is allowed to rip the cultural and foundational rug from under the common sensibilities of the collective majority, then this can only be part of that slow and steady unraveling of our future I write about almost every day. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/11/federal-court-orders-rhode-island-school-to-remove-prayer/

 

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2012…

Posted on 2011/12/31 by

For the children...

2012 is sure to be remembered by historians and political junkies as a defining year. Many things I thought would surely be part of my son’s lifetime are somehow coming to pass in my own. I would not profess to be able to explain this, but will admit it is disconcerting for me to bear witness to it at times.

With my pessimism as a backdrop to this New Year’s Eve, I ask my readers to consider something other than the present tonight. I ask that you consider and then promote a future solidified by the ideals and principles on which this great nation was founded. Accepting our faults and frailties, and in the interest of our posterity and legacy as a nation, let us celebrate our exceptionalism and all that has allowed us to triumph in the face of adversity while thriving in the acknowledgement of (one culture) come from many.

My faith tells me of a certain inevitability for which I should always be ready. Every day I do my best to aspire to that faith. However, I also look at the gifts we enjoy as a country and wonder how we may control that which we can. I respond in writing daily to the questions of politics in the 21st century. I argue the finer points of my beliefs and ideals until my fingers and neck hurt. But when all is said and done, I keep coming back to the same question that haunts me, and which seems to define all the rest. I ask myself how a child anywhere in this modern world can go to bed hungry. What are we doing wrong?

So as we begin the 12th year of this 100, shame on those who see this analogy as overly majestic or hyperbole. For my part, I think that if I do anything right in 2012, it will be to steadfastly pursue an answer to that question.

May God bless and keep all of you this New Year…

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Christmas 2011…

Posted on 2011/12/22 by

The sound of little voices singing Christmas music conjures up the spirit like nothing else for me. There is something magical and uplifting that comes from listening to children singing about the Christ Baby, a quiet innocence that speaks to the purity of God’s gift to his people. It’s times like those when I reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and my role to play in this life. I think about my own sins and faults and struggle with how to get hold of them. I wonder if we are not missing an opportunity to teach our own children something by way of history. And I consider the future in ways I don’t necessarily the rest of the year.

Now I don’t know about all of you out their reading this, but I am finding it hard this year to see a bright future. And no, not because Barack Obama is President, and not because we are still battling the Islamofascist murderers, and not even because you are more likely to be injured or killed trying to secure an “iPhone 4s” as a Christmas present than you would be if you were driving in the Daytona 500. No, it is because our value system and those things we cherished just a couple of generations ago seem to be fading from memory.

I’m not quite sure what an argument over the public display of a manger scene or what to call a Christmas tree would have looked like back in the days of my parents, or if it would have even taken place. I’m not sure if Americans would have entertained the notion of leaving behind the value set, decency and common sense which provided for the freedom that guarantees the right of the argument itself. And I question whether some Americans today have the same resolve as their forbearers to defend the principles which have guided us through generations of strife and success.

Usually I am able to put aside my pessimism and reach for the good in humanity this time of year. Christmas has always given me hope. Regrettably, and as I take stock of national and international events, it is proving difficult in 2011. I cannot help but tie my faith to this analogy because I feel if we continue to turn our backs on the ideals which have made us who we are, and continue to redefine our successes in terms of just what we have,  inevitably we will continue the backslide into complacency and blissful ignorance up to the point that the America we see is America in name only. At that point, both sides will agree for good or bad, the means we somehow justified led us to the end.

I suppose every generation has its “Great Depression” or “WWII”, and every generation endures the pain of growth in some form or another. America is no different and the road to “Super Power” has not been without bumps. But it occurs to me that our strength has always lied in our collective ability to recognize the good and true things about ourselves and our country. This has allowed us to persevere where other nations have collapsed and or descended into the darkness of indecision and anarchy.

I think what I’m trying to say here is that if I were allowed to give one present to the nation, it would be the gift of clarity, clarity without the filters of unmovable ideology so we might see and more clearly understand the basic tenets of this free Republic which has changed the world for the better, despite the “professors” revisionist “opinion”.

I know this sounds very “pie in the sky” and has a “miraculous” tone to it. But if I have come to understand anything about Christmas, it is that He makes all things possible. So with that in mind, and as I listen to the children singing about the “good news”, I pray that we have not completely closed our hearts and minds and that we would recognize and acknowledge the fundamental issues which have contributed so much more to our current“condition” than I think most would like to admit.

Anyway I’ve gotten off track and don’t want my message for the Christmas Holiday Season to be lost. So please take a moment to remember our Soldiers in harms way and all of their families back home this holiday. God please keep and protect them so they may return to their families when the mission is done. Please also remember those less fortunate and all the parents who will spend their holiday in the hospital by the bed of a sick child.

Please remember the reason for the season and I pray and wish all of you a very Merry, safe and healthy Christmas. I’ll be back before the New Year with my thoughts moving forward…

 

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Happy Hanukkah…

Posted on 2011/12/20 by

Let us take a moment and join hands with our Judeo-Christian brethren tonight as they begin the “Festival of Lights”. I am convinced this holiday season, that the fundamental bond which joins our two faiths must remain unbreakable if the principles this nation was founded on are to endure. Happy Hanukkah.

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Charity 101…

Posted on 2011/12/18 by
The joy of self-reliance…

The holidays are threatening to pass me by yet again. It seems our efforts to shape Christmas into what we believe will make us happy sometimes, actually end up diluting the true meaning of the holiday. Thankfully I am always able to extract something that I may relate to commemorating the momentous birth of my Lord and Savior.

I have always been one to frown upon the superficiality many often apply to this time of year with the “Black Friday” stuff and all. But it is truly heartwarming to see some folks step up and bring about the change I know is in line with the life and teachings of the Man whose birth we are about to celebrate. This includes those of different faiths whose hearts are appropriately positioned, large and squarely in the middle of their chests. Performer Dan Zanes is just such a person.

Zanes champions a cause which appears to be directly in line with the greatest charity we may bestow upon the less fortunate, that being the means by which they may be self-supporting. Sadly, the number of hungry in this world is once again on the rise and has been for the past few years. Political symptoms of this travesty aside, the fact that over 1 billion people, many of them children, will go to bed hungry this day is something Jesus would certainly have been addressing.

This brings me to (Heifer International), an organization which promotes the food source not just the food. They accept donations in order to purchase and provide life giving farm animals, which in turn provide sustainability and a transferable means of food provisions to the impoverished around the world. Now it remains admirable that we support charity(s) which give immediate and necessary food, medicine and clothing to those in need, but what could be better than giving the gift of a consistent food source that in turn would facilitate better health and a platform to produce those very same necessities of life. Moreover, one could then pass that gift on to others in need by way of the offspring of their betterment.

I do not have many “collective” thoughts about the world. This is a political distinction on my part and has to do with my ideological belief that much of the suffering in this world may be attributed to the Socialist, Communist and/or Theocratic application of government, which negates individual freedom and allows absolute and unchecked power. That discussion aside, and from a purely humanistic point of view, it is simply unconscionable that any person should go hungry in a 21st century world.

Please take a moment this Christmas and check out this web site. https://secure1.heifer.org/gift-catalog/joy-to-the-world-collection.html

It just makes sense…

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Tebow lesson…

Posted on 2011/12/13 by

Whether you like the game of football or not most of you have heard of Tim Tebow. The young quarterback whose life story has intrigued so many has made headlines lately because of some late game heroics. Now the heroics by themselves are not necessarily unique, but the circumstances surrounding how it all came to be have piqued folk’s interest around the world. The young Florida Gators phenom who became the first quarterback to both rush and pass for more than 20 TD’s in a season was almost aborted in the womb. His remarkable story has energized and inspired the Christian faithful (and many others), and would have been a non-fiction bestseller already if not for the most recent chapter yet to be completed.

Tebow arrived at the AFC West Denver Broncos Training Camp via the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. In 2011 he would replace Kyle Orton as the team’s starting quarterback after being called up in the second half of a game against the San Diego Chargers. Tebow nearly erased a 16 point deficit but ultimately the chargers would prevail. Nonetheless, the die had been cast and the Broncos have ridden a 6 game winning streak with Tebow at the helm to now be in contention for the play-offs. This brings me to the reason for this post.

Tebow has made no secret of his faith in Jesus Christ and how it has lifted him up personally. He has also taken great pains to not press his beliefs on those of a different stance. That said, his signature one knee prayer has both enlightened and enraged fans everywhere. Some have even called on the NFL to step in and set ground rules for “prayer” during games. To their credit, the League has opted to stay out of this fray for now. Sadly, Tebow’s simple and unassuming moment of reflection seems neither a bother nor a distraction to his team, but rather has become their rallying point. Moreover, it has become the rallying point for Bronco Nation. You see I believe that there is a deep-seated and appreciated faith in most American hearts which bubbles up when we see a successful person acknowledge that he/she is not the be all and end all of their own achievements. Consciously or unconsciously we cheer for the humble who go forward without hesitation and are then thankful if only for the chance. Tim Tebow’s prayer may not reflect your belief or lack of it, but his passion for his God tells us something about him and about ourselves in 2011.

As I navigate the holiday season and try my best to grab hold of the spirit, I am troubled by how much things have changed in just my lifetime. I catch myself staring at the folks as they push, shove and curse their way through these couple of months, and I’m floored to see and feel the angry way so many comport themselves. Regrettably, and much to my wife’s chagrin, I am often compelled to lash out at times in response. So when I returned home from the nightmare that has become Christmas Shopping in the 21st century the other night, and watched the rebroadcast of Tebow doing it again late in the fourth quarter, and then saw the thankfulness and genuine affection in his one knee prayer after the game, I thought to myself, now there’s a guy with his head squarely on his shoulders, a guy who understands the sun does not necessarily rise or set because of him, and a guy who is cognizant of this world and his place in it. Now regardless of how far Tebow goes as we get ready to close out the regular NFL season, I would ask all of you to take a good hard look at this young man’s life story and success thus far and then tell me that passionate and humble faith in a Godly power greater than our own is time wasted. Because if you can, then “We the People” and the nation which has its cultural roots firmly in the God-given strength of a free and faithful populous are most certainly in jeopardy.

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This is not what Christmas is about…

Posted on 2011/11/26 by

I hope everyone’s Thanksgiving was a happy and safe one. Sadly, I must report this holiday weekend has brought a tragic and senseless end to the lives of some who partook of the so-called “Black Friday” sales events around the country. I will admit I have never attended one of these (free for all’s), and never will. Moreover, I have developed an affinity for the cyber component of shopping, as the deals seem just as good and certainly involve less aggravation. Having said all that, my wife, who was a retail executive for many years before my son was born, has done her best to explain the fascination with sleeping on a cold sidewalk at 2 AM in the hopes of purchasing a $2.00 waffle maker. (I still don’t get it). All joking aside, a grandfather died while attempting hide a video game from other ravenous shoppers and was subsequently tackled by security as a shoplifter and died of a heart attack right in front of his grandson. Another women pepper sprayed here retail opponents and fled with her X-Box. And yet another was shot dead in the parking lot of a mega-retailer for the merchandize he had just “scored”.

Aside of how sad I feel for these poor souls and their families, I think there is another dynamic many of our time are overlooking as we attempt to make sense of these tragedies. At this very moment and in some far away cave, a bunch of smelly fanatics are pointing to this lunacy and using it as a teachable moment for the militant youth before them, who are preparing to go and take the lives of the innocent to promote their twisted beliefs. They scream of the decay of American culture and the evils of our free society, and point to these very incidents as evidence. Even more alarming is that “We the People” seem numb to the reality of this “picture of America” we present to the rest of the world. In the name of a few dollars saved on a damn video game, a young boy will miss all the good times not lived with his granddad. And for only what he possessed in his arms at that very moment, an innocent family man is robbed not just of his merchandise, but of his future.

I must be honest and tell you that you will not find a bigger Capitalist when it comes to the engine that drives the most successful economic platform in the history of the world. However, when as a pretext to a holiday framed by peace, hope and love for our fellow-man, we engage in this kind of shortsighted, selfish and animal like behavior, it is definitely time that we step back and examine our national priorities. Otherwise, the rest is inconsequential at best. Wake up America!!

 

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